The perfect starter pack if you want to: I want to start oil painting
Primary Gear
Student-grade oil paints that are genuinely excellent. Includes the essential colors you need to mix anything.
Why: Winton is the go-to student line — good enough to learn everything, cheap enough that you won't cry wasting paint while learning to mix colors.
Essential Accessory
Pre-primed cotton canvas panels in three sizes. Flat panels are easier for beginners than stretched canvas.
Why: Start on panels, not stretched canvas. They're cheaper, easier to store, and you won't feel bad experimenting on a surface that costs pocket change.
Mixed set of filbert, flat, and round brushes in multiple sizes. Synthetic bristles that work beautifully with oils.
Why: Filbert brushes are the workhorse of oil painting. This set covers every stroke type you'll need for your first year of painting.
Must-Read Book
The definitive guide to understanding how light and color work in painting. Used by concept artists, illustrators, and fine artists worldwide.
Why: This book will teach you more about seeing color than any class. Gurney breaks down complex optics into practical painting advice with gorgeous illustrations.
Pro Tip
The safest solvent for oil painting — odorless, low toxicity, and effective for thinning paint and cleaning brushes.
Why: Never use turpentine indoors. Gamsol is what professional artists use — it works just as well without the headache and health risks.
The Fun One
Everything you need to follow along with Bob Ross episodes — his specific paints, brushes, and palette knife.
Why: Following a Bob Ross episode is genuinely the most fun first painting experience. You'll finish with a complete landscape painting in 30 minutes and feel like a genius.